Fibromyalgia And It's Effects On Your Significant Other

I would imagine outside of keeping tabs on your own personal sanity, being concerned about the way your illness has effected your significant other would be at the top of your list. With everyday being so unpredictable with the symptoms of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (FM/CFS), making plans and setting priorities with your partner can easily become a fixture on the back burner. As unintentional as this is, we tend to avoid our concern by accepting guilt as a part of our daily routine instead of facing the reality that our partners share the same burden we do in fact that we are a less active partner than you once were.

I can't say there is an easy answer for relieving guilt for either party, but I do know that if you are not open with each other about our feelings that guilt turns to resentment and this is where bads things start to brew. For the same reason we forgive ourselves for being not so pleasant because of a major pain day, we need to extend that forgiveness and allow our lovers to have moments of anger, frustration and plain insanity. When you hurt, they hurt, when you can't leave the house either they choose not to go out or they do and feel guilty the entire time. When you cry, they cry with you and when you fight they fight along side you. This is what a significant other is, an equal partner in love, life and health. It is crucial that we communicate to them that these emotions are all something that not only you have felt at one time or another, but would expect them to feel as well. Say to them, "It is ok to be angry about how this illness has effected our lives", doing so will help prevent those same feelings migrating from their original target, your illness, to you.

The more open you are with your partner about your emotional state the more apt they will be to discuss theirs in return. Having an open dialog will keep the door open to topics such as your sexual activities and possible experimentation to what goals as a couple you have to help in your healing process. All of these things will not only give you a sense of amazing support but also allow your significant to feel apart of the solution and not an addition to the problem.